RAIL timetable changes which would vastly reduce the number of trains stopping at Crewe Station have been slammed by a councillor.

The changes, proposed by the Department for Transport, are set to come into force in December 2008 and would mean that many cross-country network services from London headed for Scotland would no longer stop at Crewe.

Also, trains from London connecting North England via Crewe would be reduced to one per hour.

And passengers wanting to use the London to Liverpool, Preston and Carlisle services could be forced to take local trains to Warrington or Liverpool and change there.

Alsager councillor Rod Fletcher has been incensed by the proposals, especially in light of the major revamp due to be carried out at Crewe Station.

He said: 'There is £38 million being spent on making Crewe a much more user-friendly station by giving it a complete revamp but now the Department for Transport are going to cut services going to and from there. It is absolutely crazy.'

Mr Fletcher is now leading a notice of motion agenda, due to be discussed by the Cheshire County Council executive committee meeting last night.

He is calling for the whole council to get behind the objections and added: 'I'm looking for complete council support on this issue and if we can get as many councillors and MPs involved then there is a chance we can lobby Parliament.

'We must send a message to those MPs making these decisions that this is just not good enough.

'Our train service is being dictated to by those down in London who just do not know about what is needed for local people and local services.'

'Of course, we want more people to use trains, rather than the roads or airplanes, but how can we do that when the services are being cut?' While existing services may be cut, the Department for Transport claim that improved, faster services will be introduced. But due to current restructuring of the Cross Country network franchise, details of the new services have not yet been made public.

A Department of Transport spokesman said: 'The £8.8bn West Coast Main Line modernisation scheme has increased capacity and cut journey times on the route.

'Crewe will be served by two trains an hour to Liverpool and Birmingham under the new timetable, and faster hourly trains to Edinburgh and Glasgow, which will also serve stations in the North West.'